Board

Stephen is a school parent and father of 4 children. He is a civil engineer by trade and has full-filed management positions in multiple construction companies in South-Africa, Namibia, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He currently works as a property developer in the Kenton area. Stephen brings in expertise in building, budgeting, accounting, taxation and contracting. He is closely involved in the construction and maintenance of all our school buildings. Next to this he manages the tax and legal portfolio.

Anouk Verheijen Fundraising

Anouk is a school parent and mother of 4 children. She works as a consultant in the international development space, focussing on small scale renewable energy market development. She is passionate about doing things differently and finding innovative and practical solutions to development problems on the ground. Anouk brings in expertise in fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning and HR. As a board member she is responsible for setting up and coordinating the school’s fundraising efforts. Through her work and being a Dutch national she can tap in to a wide network of international funders.

Marius van GraanMulti Media

Marius is a school parent and father of three children. He is an independent photographer and filmmaker, with a portfolio spanning from feature films and documentaries to TV commercials. His clients include National Geographic, the United Nations and Google. Marius brings his skills in marketing and multi-media to the board and acts as our in-house professional photographer and film maker.

Jessica van GraanCurriculum development, parent liaison

Jessica is the foundational phase teacher at Bushwillow school, a school parent and a mother of 3 children. She has ten years of teaching experience in multiple schools around South Africa and has home schooled her own children. As a board member she brings in expertise in child-centered and holistic curriculum development, school organisation and event planning. Her creativity and child-focused approach are key assets to our board!

Martin SeccombeFinance

Martin is a school parent and father to four children. He works remotely on his graphic design and printing company, which is based in the UK. He was chairman of the charity Survivors of Child Abuse, served as a school governor and was on the board of the Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company in the sub committees of Marketing and Finance. As board member he is managing our finance portfolio.

Melody SeccombeProcurement, Website

Melody is a school parent, and mother to four children. She is a stay at home mum, having spent many years in finance within a security training company in the UK. She is a qualified childcare provider, and aesthetician. Melody home educated her two youngest children for two years and is interested in, and continues to research peaceful parenting, nutrition and education. Melody is responsible for all school procurements and manages our website portfolio.

Eleanor GalpinChair, HR and Communication

Eleanor is a school parent and the mother of three children. She has always had an interest in child-development and education, a passion that was inspired by her mother who was both a teacher and a head-mistress for over 25 years. Eleanor is currently working as a doctor in the public health sector, and enjoys linking her medical insights with her desire to see children grow and develop in supportive, loving and nurturing environments. In her capacity as a chair, she is the liaison between the board and the teachers and manages the HR and communication portfolio.